Match-box.



110.807,281. PATENTED DBG.12,1 905. M. B. KELLER.

MATGH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED snPT.11.19os.

'BVMW'. l

A r 7.01m: Y.

i' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed September l1, 1905. Serial No. 277,994.

To t/Z 107mm it may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, MARTIN B. KELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Penn Mills, Penn township, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a match-box of that class in which a back plate is adapted to be secured in upright position against the vertical surface of a partitionwall, said back plate being provided on its front face with a match receptacle or hopper in which matches are placed in horizontal position and in which a sliding plate moves up and down against the front face of said back plate and in rear of matches contained in said receptacle, said sliding plate having in its upper edge a groove-carrying match with it in its upward motion, placing said match between striker-plates secured in position to an upward projection of said back plate and above the hopper, said striker-plates being adapted to hold the matches in position to be ignited on being withdrawn therethrough.

The object of the invention is to provide a match-box in which matches are delivered one by one from the receptacle to the strikerplates, whereby matches may be economically used, as in hotels, cigar-stores, or other places where matches are to be used.

The elements of the invention willY severally and at large appear in the following description, and they will be separately or combinedly set forth or pointed out in the appended claim.

The purposes of the invention are attained by the mechanism, devices, and means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, similar reference characters designating like parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the matchbox referred to in the opening paragraph hereto with a portion of the front wall of the hopper removed, showing a number of matches in position therein and the sliding plate carrying a match on its upper edge up between the striker-plates. Fig. 2 is a rear side elevation of Fig. l, showing a guide-slot formed vertically at the center of the back plate with a guide-block therein and the cross-bar on said block holding the slidin plate in position. Fig. 3 is a central verticail section taken on the line x a: in Fig. 1, with dotted lines showing the sliding plate in lowy ward ro'ection a, with an inverted-T late P l P a2 secured to the back face thereof and to the upper edge of the plate A in any approved manner, and adjacent to the lower edge thereof is rigidly secured in any approved manner a bar a3, said T-plate and bar to engage vagainst said vertical side or partition-wall, forming a recess or open space, giving freedom of motion to said guide-block and cross-bar, both before mentioned and to be hereinafter more particularly explained, and to the front face extending the required distance downward is rigidly secured by headed pins or screws a4 a striker-plate A,

provided on its front surface with projecting ridges or points a5. Extending centrally over said striker-plate A is a striker springplate A2 of the required dimensions, with its upper end rigidly secured in place by headed pins or screws c and having its inner surface provided with projecting ridges or points a7, said ridges or points a5 and a7 being adapted to hold the match in position when placed therebetween and to ignite the same on being withdrawn therethrough, while at the center of the back plate is formed a vertical slot or aperture as for engagement of said before-inentioned guide-block.

In practically the upper half of the back plate A is erected, on the front surface thereof, the hopper or receptacle A3, having downwardly and rearwardly sloping side walls a, a downwardly and rearwardly inclined front wall alo, and a downwardly and rearwardly sloping bottom a, with an oblong opening cl2 at its rearward edge adjacent to said back plate for the passage of the sliding plate, yet to be described, with dotted lines @13 indicating a lid to cover said hopper, when so desired, and the lower portion of the back plate below the hopper is formed with the forwardly-proj ecting side ribs or walls a, before mentioned, guiding said sliding plate in its upward and downward motion, and adjacent to the upper end of the upward projection c is formed an aperture am to be engaged by a hook or pin (not shown) for suspending the box in place.

Arranged on the front surface of the back IOO IIO

plate A and movable up and down through said opening cl2 is a sliding plate B of the required dimensions, having in its upper edge a practically semicircular groove b for the purpose ofreceiving a match and carrying it with it in its upward motion between the stril erplates- At the desired point on its rearward surface is rigidly secured in any approved manner a guide-block b to engage in said vertical slot as with a cross-bar b2 secured to said guide-block b by means of a taper-headed screw b3, and centrally adjacent to the lower edge thereof said plate B is formed with a forward projection or fingergrip b4, whereby said plate is manipulatedthat is, moved either up or down.

Now, the several parts hereinbefore described occupying the respective positions indicated in the drawin s, the following operation will be noted: raspin the n ergrip b4 and drawing the plate B ownwar to ,the dotted position indicated in Fig. 2, a match will roll by gravitation into said groove b, (indicated by the dotted circle b5,) and when said plate B, by reason of said finger-grip, is pushed upwardly said match will be carried with the plate B in its upward motion to and between the striker-plates, as shown in Fig. 2, and held in place by said points a5' and a7, when the plate is again withdrawn or lowered to the dotted position before mentioned, leaving the match in the position to be withdrawnand ignited by said rid es or points.

ll'ow, the invention having thus been ascertained and described and the manner in which its functions are performed fully shown and set forth, what is considered new,

and desired to be secured by Letters Patent,

In a match-box of the character described, in combination, the back plate A having the side edge ribs a, the central upward proj ection a with the back lining T-plate c2, the lower edge bar a3, and the central vertical guide-slot as; the fixed striker-plate A and the overlying spring-plate A2, both rigidly secured to the front face of said upward projection a', said striker-plates having in their adjacent surfaces the respective match-igniting ridges or points a5 c7; the hopper or match receptacle A3 mounted on the front surface of the upper half of the plate A, said hopper having the downwardly and rearwardly sloping side walls a, the downwardly and rearwardl f inclined front wall am and the downwardly and rearwardly sloping b ct- MARTIN B. KELLER.

Vitnesses:

-ANNA M. BAUMAN,

MABEL L. LEFEVRE. 

